Day...hmmm...whatever!

Okay, so day counting is not working this month! I have quite a few things on the go but I can't share them because they are Christmas gifts. So, I'll just be willy nilly for a few more weeks!

This project, however, HAD to be done STAT , so I thought I would share it.

Here's the state of my winter coat circa a few days ago.

Missing a button and the remaining buttons were in rough shape!

Oh, and it's pretty wrinkled.

These are old macrame beads.

I thought they'd make groovy buttons!

The finished product! I think it's an improvement. Still a little wrinkled but the new buttons make it a little more polished and that feels better for the wearer (aka ME!).

Day 14-Feathers!

I was inspired on a recent craft fair outing to try making feathery hair pieces! I could only find a few feather colours so these are 2 very similar. I am going to hunt down some peacock feathers and make some more!

This is stitched to an elastic headband.

I attached this one to an over sized barrette.

These were REALLY fun! However, the dye from the feathers soaked into my hands and I can't get it out!

Day 12-13 feet of pure jolly.

I did it! I finished the garland. Stinging beads is a truly meditative activity. I find it hard to pull myself away from it. I may have to make some more of this!

Day 11 - Garland part 1

I am finally finished stringing this section of my garland project! My plan is to string about 3 or 4 sections, each section being different. This way, as it winds around the tree it will look like I've put on a few strands. I think this will fit with our Christmas tree's non theme theme!





I will stick to the red and green theme for the main stretches of each garland and change up the feature beads.

See you tomorrow!

Day 10-Not finished!

Making beaded garland has been in the back of my mind for the past year. Finally, yesterday, I started stringing it! I think it will take a few days so I will finish it and then post it!

On the ninth day...more Christmas!

When I received these giant golden earrings (they originally had smaller gold circles on top) I KNEW they were meant for something special.


The necklaces I made have never felt quite right-






The necklaces I made from the top parts of these earrings have both sold. I guess these ones just haven't found their rightful place in this world.

UNTIL NOW!

Day 8 = more birds!

I am sure that this was considered very pretty when it was made but I am afraid I can't live with the the plastic leaves! Not to mention that balding birds have seen better days!

The nest, however, looked pretty good to me and I still had birds left in the Sally Ann bag so I thought I would "Christmas up" the branches the kids and I "planted" in a flower pot and decorate according to our whims throughout the year.

Here's a more up to date, festive bird's nest.

I looked up pictures of Cardinal's nests and I have to say that while this is not an exact replica, it's close enough! I guess it should be a bit messier and made of twigs but I think this particular cardinal looks very comfy in his new nest! Beats living in a plastic bag...

Day 7! Already?

So this was another brooch I was saving to make a necklace. But today it screamed Christmas to (at?) me so I went with it!



I originally hung it from the middle of the elephant's back but the head is heavy so it tipped forward. I think hanging an elephant from the tree is maybe a little unusual but this one is SO pretty right?

Now I am wishing I had a giraffe...

Day 5-Shiny, Happy, Rhinestones

Well I forgot to photograph this brooch while it was still a brooch so here it is shortly after I removed the pin etc and covered the spot where there was a black spot (missing stone) by wrapping wire around said spot. Can't see what I mean? Great! The plan worked.












Then I used the wire wrapped, missing stone spot as my new pendant's hanging place and decided to stay true to the old glamour feel of the piece by adding pearls and shiny crystals.









Just add a little black dress and you're ready for New Year's Eve!

Day 5...More Christmas!

Okay...THESE are earrings! I'm thinking last worn in the 80's? I had NO idea what to do with them and was going to throw them out...

...and then I started taking them apart (to save the head pins) and realized that with a few changes, these would make great Christmas decorations.

I changed the beads from purple and pink to red and white, turned the posts into loops, attached chains and VOILA!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Day 4 the birds!

Every year I collect more birds for the Christmas tree and every year I complain about the twisty wires on the feet! It's impossible (for me) to get them to sit right and then it is a PAIN to take them down after the season.

These birds were in a plastic bag in the Sally Anne and I couldn't leave them there!





So I removed the wire from their little feet and strung new wire through their backs...I then couldn't resist giving them each a little Christmas necklace!







I think I will dig out all of my tree birds and redo them before we put the tree up.

I am going to Salisbury Greenhouse tonight to listen to Edie sing...I will probably come home with a few new birds for this year!

Day 3-Twofer!

I fell for these earrings at County's Clothesline and assumed I would make 2 necklaces...

....but instead I was inspired to keep them together!

The 2 earrings hanging on a chain make a floaty, free feeling pendant. I think I will wear this one myself before I let it go!

Day 2...So Christmassy!

This has been sitting on my desk for months. I have no idea what it is or where it came from. I can only guess that it was a part of something I took a part and forgot about.

Now it is the focal point of a festive necklace!

Day ONE!

So I bought this at a yard sale and LOOOOVED the look of it so much that I over looked the missing stones. I have always meant to do something with it so I guess this is a great place to start.










Here's what happened when I took it apart and got rid of the broken pieces...glamorous no?

hmmm....

I have been admiring some blogs lately (esp. http://www.newdressaday.com/!) and thinking maybe I would get back to mine someday. I am a little surprised that JUNE was the last time I posted but I guess that's life. I am thinking that my blog maybe needs more focus. Something I can work on...a theme? (a la New Dress or Julie and Julia ) I am thinking of challenging myself to create something daily, but that's the easy part since I bead (obsessively) daily anyway. So at the risk of being a copy catter... I think I will attempt to create "something from (next to) nothing" each day. Like...new jewellery from old jewellery...or a new _____ from an old _______. I'll fill in the blanks as I go along.

I am hoping to give my creativity a little kick in the pants and also to simply embrace the side of me that loves to scavenge and bargain hunt and rescue things that have been tossed out. Lately I have been feeling like the thrift shopping needs a different focus as well. Certain episodes of "Hoarders" have made me think twice before picking up random items from the Salvation Army and this new plan will help me make good decisions about what to bring home!

So. I am hereby challenging myself to return to my computer tomorrow armed with a photo of something I created out of something else...

night

Sale, Recitals Trips...Oh my!

BUSY month this June! I am still over the moon about the success of my first ever sale, Chris is busy with weddings and recitals and we are all getting ready to head to Nova Scotia!

June 13, First Ever Show and Sale!

Here are the photos from my sale!

Shifting

So I am trying to makes some necklaces that feature a sense of contrast and a balanced sort of imbalance...if that makes sense. The first one(flower choker above) was essentially designed by it's owner and the fact that it doesn't follow a precise pattern from start to finish caused me to try to take that concept a step further.

Shell Beads and Seed Beads and Spring Break

Happy spring break!

Here are some new necklaces. I made a bunch of bracelets but right now I hate them all and I will probably take them apart. I like the idea of making sets with pieces that go well together but don't match perfectly. Time will tell if I accomplish this!

White Stripes

(click on White Stripes)

This is a video of Chris and Jesse playing Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes. Jesse recently quit drum lessons but he continues to drum on every surface...ALL THE TIME! He can also play his favourite songs by ear on the drums, much like his father can on the guitar. They often break out into impromptu jams in the studio. I usually run for the camera only to miss the best bits. This time I got it!

Recycling

Even though I have made a LOT of jewelery over these past months, I really haven't bought as many new beads as you might think.

Since I am a thrift store addict, I have simply added yet another item to my list of stuff I'm always looking for. Old necklaces (even ugly ones) often have at least few nice beads on them.

I have also been given a lot of beads. Old jewelery, unused beads etc. One of my favorite gifts has been a bag of old macrame beads of my mom's. Some of them are HUGE and challenging to string but most of them are just plain...awesome!

The necklace on the left was made for a friend who drew me a picture of what she wanted. She also requested that I use her pendant and that I come up with something to put on the other end. I ended up using yet another macrame bead to complete this piece! What will I do when I run out?

The second necklace is made mostly of macrame beads and seed beads. The big wooden bead in the middle is my favourite. I have another one....hmmm...what to do with it????

Weddings

As Chris enters his second summer of playing cello at weddings, we are starting to understand how the wedding planning process works.

Our own wedding plans consisted of calling a commissioner and locating 2 witnesses who happened to be free for an hour on a Thursday (?) afternoon at 2pm.

http://cbaillieguitarteacher.webs.com/

I remember that filling out the forms for our marriage licence caused us enough stress that Chris cracked inappropriate jokes (he asked me how to spell my name-right in front of the clerk!!!!) and I was sure someone was going to tell us we were distant relatives or something equally horrifying. We've often breathed a sigh of relief that we didn't embark on planning a big wedding. Just the thought of us getting through the vows or the really mushy, romantic bits sends us into hysterical laughter. We are certain that we would have laughed our heads off throughout the entire ceremony had we had a large audience to entertain.

So imagine our surprise all these years later to find ourselves becoming so well versed on the ins and outs of wedding planning. Chris knows the proper names for all the parts of the ceremony and understands which pieces work when and where! We are starting to see how the planning calender works too. We can already see a pattern developing.

The interesting thing is that Chris is loving this work. I love hearing about the different locations and how the couples personalise the ceremonies. It seems there are as many ways to get married as there are couples getting married.

In short, weddings have become an integral part of our lives. And had you asked us 13 years ago if we thought we'd be making a good portion of our living this way...well THAT would have sent us into GALES of hysterical laughter.